I'm Back :)

This morning, I'm breaking my suuuper long blogging hiatus to share some exciting news. I know it's been quiet around here, so first, I really want to thank those few brave souls who continued to stop by. I think I responded responded to all the comments that where left, but I if I missed yours, I'm sorry! Drop me a quick line. I'll answer your question right away (I promise) and again, thank you!

Photo Organization

One of the most exciting projects I’ve been working on, since you last saw me, is my very first eCourse, Photo Organization Made Simple over at Big Picture Classes. I created it with the modern memory keeper in mind and it’s all about streamlining your photo management in order to:

free up more time for the creative process through the automation of many of the tasks in your work flow.

enhance your storytelling through the use of goal setting exercises and a more effective note taking system.

These two course objectives were incredibly satisfying for me to teach because of my own, very real, struggles. I'm always trying to make my work flow more efficient when designing because I'm constantly accumulating digital assets and I need to be able to locate them quickly. I used to feel the same way about my photo library, but then I finally decided to get organized. Once I implemented my new system, all of my images going forward were always organized. And I want to show you how you can get there too.

How to Make It a Habit

When my photo chaos finally became too hard to juggle, I started to really think about what a successful system would actually look like:

fast and simple - otherwise I wouldn’t be able to maintain it

automated - at least, as much as possible

free or very inexpensive - there is a lot of really great software out there, but I didn’t want to buy of it

I knew I would have to really focus on these three areas in order to turn my new system into a habit. And it worked. I STILL use the same system to keep my photos organized and I'm proud to be sharing it with you in Photo Organization Made Simple.

What You'll Learn

While the skills I teach are very easy to learn, they're also pretty essential for the modern memory keeper and documentarian. In this course, we cover the fundamentals for maintaining an efficient workflow, including how to:

Sync your photos across all your devices

Integrate your film photos into your digital library

Curate your photo collections to keep them streamlined and clutter-free

Automatically rename your photos

Build a folder structure to fit your organizational model

Create keywords to help aid your searches

Back up your photos to 3 different sites (including off-site storage)

Record important notes about your photos to help document your stories

Get Started

When you enter the Photo Organization Made Simple classroom, you'll notice the course is broken down into four lessons. Each lesson includes a video, an assignment, and a PDF worksheet to help you complete your objectives for that lesson. You can also join our official class group at Big Picture Classes and interact with the rest of the community, as you all work your way to photo freedom.

And best of all, you can sign up for a free 2 week trial and squeeze 6 weeks into a month-long membership. Believe me, this will come in handy when you see all the other titles currently in the Big Picture Classes library. On my short list:

**Remember when I took this course last year? Excited to work through the process again and post more process photos :)

]]>Project Life | Gossamer Blue Blog HopProject LifeMaria LacuestaThu, 15 Jan 2015 13:00:00 +0000http://www.analog-paper.com/blog/2015/1/14/project-life-gossamer-blue-blog-hop53bf2267e4b0fba35a5408e9:53cc902fe4b02a3a052b132c:54b72c21e4b07f864ec11035Caution my friends…image heavy post coming your way :) With the craziness
of the holidays in full effect, we skipped our regular Gossamer Blue blog
hop last month. So today, I'll be sharing Project Life pages using both the
December and January GB kits. Woo!

Caution my friends…image heavy post coming your way :) With the craziness of the holidays in full effect, we skipped our regular Gossamer Blue blog hop last month. So today, I'll be sharing Project Life pages using both the December and January GB kits. Woo!

For even more inspiration, be sure to check out the links at the end of my post...

Hey guys! So, this is my third December Daily post this month! For my first post, I went over my supplies, organization, and album cover. For my second post, I went over my game plan and manifesto. And today, I want to share some of the foundation pages I've made so far.

In my last post, I talked about approaching this project with a formula. Part of my game plan is to include one 6"x8" sheet protector in every 2-page spread. I'd like to include as many full page photos as possible, but for those instances it's not, I started making some 6"x8" foundation pages.

You'll notice II left a lot of negative space on these two pages. I wanted some room to incorporate smaller photos into the composition.

This page is meant to be purely decorative and will add it to my album as is. To add some visual interest, I gold embossed the wood veneer "MERRY" sentiment. You're going to see a lot of embossing throughout my album. In my last post, I shared a gold embossed vellum page that I layered underneath my manifesto.

Here you can see another gold embossed piece of vellum peeking out from underneath the gold striped baggie.

On top of the baggie, I layered a decorative transparent page reading "MERRY EVERYTHING" in plaid puffy stickers. You could use a sheet of acrylic to achieve the same affect, but here, I simply cut down a plastic sheet protector.

To fasten the striped baggie, I stapled a couple strips of vellum to the sides and punched holes using a single hole punch. I would have punched holes directly into the baggie itself, but I wanted to center it directly underneath the "merry everything" sentiment.

And underneath the baggie, is the gold embossed vellum. I used the reindeer stamp from the Gossamer Blue "Be Happy" Collection by Allison Pennington to create a pattern. Then I accented it with some sequins that came in the Gossamer Blue December Memories kit.

And here is closeup of the backside of the vellum. I added corresponding sequin to create a more finished effect.

Thanks so much for stopping by--I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into my album! On Saturday I want to share more of foundations pages, this time featuring some fun die cutting techniques, so I hope you check back in :)

]]>December Daily | Game Plan + ManifestoDecember DailyMaria LacuestaWed, 03 Dec 2014 03:10:44 +0000http://www.analog-paper.com/blog/2014/12/2/december-daily-game-plan-manifesto53bf2267e4b0fba35a5408e9:53cc902fe4b02a3a052b132c:547e62c1e4b063c3c850ddb8I always have fun starting my December Daily albums. Finishing...well,
that's a whole other story.
But this year will be different. I have a game plan.

I had so much fun working on my December Daily album over the weekend. But, I always have fun starting my December Daily albums. Finishing...well, that's a whole other story.

But this year will be different. I have a game plan.

Take one photo a day.

I feel like one photo a day is pretty low maintenance. There's something to be said for setting the bar low. I know this is something I can accomplish and with so much going on this month, I would hate for this project to become a stressful experience. Plus, if I miss a day, I can always ask Ray to send me a photo he's taken. Between the two of us, we're bound to have at least one photo.

Follow a formula.

For every 2-page spread in my album, I will include at least one 6"x8" page protector. My plan is to include one full page photo and pair it with a few journal cards on the opposite page. I know this won't be possible If I have a landscape oriented photo, or if I have a small photo, so I've already started to make some 6"x8" foundation pages for these scenarios (I'll be sharing them in my next post). But for the most part, the full page photo configuration will be my go-to.

Welcome to my first December Daily post of 2015! If you're visiting me this morning from the Gossamer Blue Blog Hop, scroll down to the bottom of this post for a list of all the super talented crafters who are also sharing their albums today. I, for one, am super excited to see how everyone's approaching their projects!

Full Disclosure: I've never finished a December Daily album. This year's going to be different though. I know this because I'm going to approach my DD album the same way I do my Project Life album. By this I mean, I will limit my supplies, keep it simple, and follow a formula.

Here's my Project Checklist:

Create a game plan.

Write a manifesto.

Choose my supplies.

Organize my supplies.

Decorate my cover.

Create a title page.

Create foundation pages.

Celebrate and document this magical season.

So, I kind of skipped #1& #2 (arguably the two most important steps in this whole process) because creating a game plan is super challenging and, well, picking supplies is the funnest part for me. But don't worry, I'm determined to approach this project systematically and all month I'll be sharing my progress on the blog, so be sure to check back in. Right now, this is my schedule:

Today, I'll be sharing some of my supplies, how I organize them, and how I created my album cover.

Tomorrow, I'll be going over my game plan, manifesto, and title page.

Wednesday, I'll be sharing some foundation pages.

And if you follow me on Instagram, I'm sure you'll be seeing lots of peeks into my album as well.

Supplies

Choosing my supplies was super easy! This year, I'm using the Gossamer Blue December Memories kit. It basically comes with everything you need in one box, including an album. For a closer look at everything, I made a little video of everything that comes in the kit!

I'm also going to use a small assortment of supplies I've been saving for my DD. Mostly, gold embellishments (because I'm obsessed), pieces from the Gossamer Blue Get Happy collection (pretty much the best Holiday line ever), and some basics (kraft paper, vellum, embossing powders, etc.).

Organization

I'm housing all of my supplies in a couple of different containers. Most of my embellishments fit into this handy box with removable compartments.

Everything else, including my papers and stickers, fit into this small wooden box.

Album Cover

I love my album cover and it was so EASY to make. I used the binder that came in the GB December Memories kit and kept the backside striped. To create the cover, I used masking tape to block off the green spine and painted the rest with white gesso. I only had to apply two layers of gesso and just waited 30 min. in between each application. Then, to create the title, I used some sequins and the super cute set of One LIttle Bird puffy stickers that came in the GB December Memories kit.

Thanks for stopping and be sure to check back in tomorrow to read about how I'm going to approach the rest of this album. December Daily is definitely the most ambitious project I'll be tackling this year and I know I'm going to be successful this time around because I'm determined to keep it simple!

]]>Project Life | Gossamer Blue Blog HopProject LifeMaria LacuestaSat, 15 Nov 2014 13:00:00 +0000http://www.analog-paper.com/blog/2014/11/15/project-life-gossamer-blue-blog-hop53bf2267e4b0fba35a5408e9:53cc902fe4b02a3a052b132c:54673b96e4b08b7029d2ab9cIf you're joining me this morning, you're probably following the Gossamer
Blue blog hop where, every month, the GB team shares some inspiration from
the current kits. Today, I'll be giving you a closer look into my Project
Life layouts using the November kits.

If you're joining me this morning, you're probably following the Gossamer Blue blog hop where, every month, the GB team shares some inspiration from the current kits. Today, I'll be giving you a closer look into my Project Life layouts using the November kits.

I love adding beautiful typography right on top of my photos and the November kits are filled with all sorts of options. For these layouts, I used a range of exclusive acrylics and wood veneer, along with some really cute rub-ons and die cut letters.

I'm so grateful I've been able to keep up with my album especially this holiday season. I've mentioned again and again, how important it is to streamline your Project Life process and one thing that has helped me is to narrow down my supplies. Certainly, using a dedicated kit is one way to go and I hope my pages this month give you some quick and easy ideas to get your own Project Life layouts done.

And don't forget to checkout then rest of the blog hop! There's a lot more great inspiration from the rest of the GB team:

]]>Get Messy | 018Get MessyMaria LacuestaThu, 06 Nov 2014 09:00:00 +0000http://www.analog-paper.com/blog/2014/11/5/get-messy-01853bf2267e4b0fba35a5408e9:53cc902fe4b02a3a052b132c:545ae73fe4b05cff714bd8c2Not a lot of words today my friends. I think I just fell asleep with my
eyes open; that's how exhausted I feel.
Before I sign off though, here are a few images of my new art journal and
the results of some epic late night crafting.

Not a lot of words today my friends. I think I just fell asleep with my eyes open; that's how exhausted I feel.

Before I sign off though, here are a few images of my new art journal and the results of some epic late night crafting.

Get Messy is an art journal challenge where a gang of crafty vixens are sharing art journal pages we have created to practise our skills and push past our creative limits with hopes to inspire. We share our pages without restraint every week, and once a month we create around a prompt. Go check out these crazy talented ladies who are creating pages who each have a unique perspective and style. We will be sharing our work around social media so follow the hashtag #getmessyartjournal.

]]>Get Messy | 017Get MessyMaria LacuestaThu, 30 Oct 2014 08:00:00 +0000http://www.analog-paper.com/blog/2014/10/29/get-messy-01753bf2267e4b0fba35a5408e9:53cc902fe4b02a3a052b132c:54518d9ae4b07496a3f1305eThis year, I told myself I would be grateful for the little things. It's
easy to say, but harder to actively do. As silly as it sounds, Instagram
has helped me a lot. I decided I would take on the #100happydays Challenge
and start posting everyday. Just this small act of reflection helped remind
me to give thanks and that, in turn, really reduced my stress.

This year, I told myself I would be grateful for the little things. It's easy to say, but harder to actively do. As silly as it sounds, Instagram has helped me a lot. I decided I would take on the #100happydays Challenge and start posting everyday. Just this small act of reflection helped remind me to give thanks and that, in turn, really reduced my stress. Well, I finished the #100happydays Challenge and, although there were certainly a lot of not-so-happy things that occured, it was amazing how much those few minutes I set aside each day could change my outlook.

That's why I really appreciate today's Get Messy prompt: Gratitude. The end of the year is always a tough time for me because there are so many expectations for the Holidays and I'm always trying to wrap things up before the end of the quarter. So, I love the idea of justing being present and in the moment, rather than constantly thinking about what needs to get done, or what I'm behind on.

So, yes. Today, I'm thankful for the little things. Like a cup of tea. The ritual of steeping the leaves and sitting still for a few moments of quiet contemplation. In the next couple of months, when it becomes harder and harder for me to unplug, I hope I remember to just stop. I want my journal pages in November to focus on this concept too, but for now, here is my last layout for October:

I used a photo that I shot recently of my Sunday merienda. One of my most cherished rituals is cooking with my grandmother via FaceTime. On that day, she had just taught me how to make sweet sticky rice. I'm so happy I was able to include it my journal and I think it works well with the rest of my pages for this month, especially when I think back to my first post about "making room for good things":

Get Messy is an art journal challenge where a gang of crafty vixens are sharing art journal pages we have created to practise our skills and push past our creative limits with hopes to inspire. We share our pages without restraint every week, and once a month we create around a prompt. Go check out these crazy talented ladies who are creating pages who each have a unique perspective and style. We will be sharing our work around social media so follow the hashtag #getmessyartjournal.

]]>Workspace | How I Get Things Done | Part TwoPlannerWorkspaceMaria LacuestaWed, 29 Oct 2014 15:34:33 +0000http://www.analog-paper.com/blog/2014/10/29/workspace-how-i-get-things-done-part-two53bf2267e4b0fba35a5408e9:53cc902fe4b02a3a052b132c:5450f447e4b01ac0358a7bc8In Part One of How I Get Things Done, I talk a little bit about my process
and how I use my Daily Worksheet. Today, I'll be going over all the other
pages that make up The Essential Planner, a flexible agenda I designed to
accommodate my evolving task management system.

In Part One of How I Get Things Done, I talk a little bit about my process and how I use my Daily Worksheet. Today, I'll be going over all the other pages that make up The Essential Planner, a flexible agenda I designed to accommodate my evolving task management system.

When I'm working from home, I use my Daily Worksheet to add structure to my day and keep track of all the moving parts. But before I actually plan out my day, I consult my Calendar Pages, Weekly Schedule, and Project Worksheets to determine next actions and to make sure I'm still on track to meet my monthly goals.

I house all of these pages in two places, my Planner and my Project Notebook:

My Calendar Pages and Weekly Schedules are housed in my Planner. I use an A5 Franklin Covey binder that I've had since 2004! It stays at home, but recently, I've been tempted to pick up a Personal size Filofax that I can easily carry around with me. So Personal size pages are definitely in the works! Yay!

My Project and Daily Worksheets are housed in my Project Notebook. I use a disc bound notebook by Martha Stewart and I like to keep it open next to me while I work on my computer. It lays flat on my desk, takes up a small footprint, and I can easily reorder and organize my pages, so it works really well for me.

To see both my Planner and Project Notebook in action, check out this short video walk-through I put together the other week. I've also included a video outline and notes right below.

Calendar Pages - This a perpetual, or an undated calendar. I love this format because I can start using them at any time and there's no excuse not to sit down and get organized.

Weekly Schedule - I like to have my schedule opposite my calendar, so that I don't miss any dates and I can keep my monthly goals in perspective. In the video, you can see how I set this up with my Calendar on the left and my Weekly Schedule on the right.

Daily Worksheet - I have a very detailed breakdown of my Daily Worksheet right here. I also go into a lot of detail in my video. It is definitely my favorite part of The Essential Planner and that's because it really helps to add structure to my days when I work from home. It's also super handy in the days leading up to the holiday season when I'm so busy with various projects.

Task Sheet - This is a simple checklist with an extra column for time tracking. I find it really helpful to keep track of how long certain task take to complete because this information helps me better manage my time in the future. I also like to use these worksheets for "brain dumps." Throughout the day, as different tasks come to mind, I quickly jot them down so I'm not distracted while I'm trying to complete the task at hand. That's why I keep this page directly behind my Daily Worksheet, so I can easily flip back and forth between the two.

Project Index - I divide my Project Notebook up into different sections for my Design Team work, my Blog, and my Shop and I put a Project Index at the beginning of each section. It's such an easy way to keep track of open projects. It also serves as a table of contents when I'm searching for my notes on a particular project because there are spaces for project numbers in addition to a project name.

Project Outline - This worksheet is geared toward client based work, but I use it for all sorts of things like adding new product to the shop or even blog posts. The top section has a space for the project number and title that corresponds to the Project Index and right underneath is a space for project details. Next, there's a box for project deliverables and finally, a box for tracking project tasks that extends to the backside of the sheet.

These are the pages the pages I reference on a daily basis and they're all part of The Essential Planner. Thanks for taking a quick peek into how I get things done and please feel free to drop me line if you have any questions!

My art journal pages this week are a case of art imitating life, or life imitating art, or some such thing :)

I started out with the intention of filling the entire right page with text strips reading "Eat, Sleep, Create. Repeat," but then I had to make dinner. And then wash dishes. And then do all the other myriad things life requires of us all.

In the end, I settled for a quarter of the page and a hurried scribble underneath: I wish.

I wish I had it in me to make all of my art journal pages epic. But I'll settle with just getting something down on paper because, surprisingly, I'm always happy with the results as long as I keep it real. Who knew?

Get Messy is an art journal challenge where a gang of crafty vixens are sharing art journal pages we have created to practise our skills and push past our creative limits with hopes to inspire. We share our pages without restraint every week, and once a month we create around a prompt. Go check out these crazy talented ladies who are creating pages who each have a unique perspective and style. We will be sharing our work around social media so follow the hashtag #getmessyartjournal.

Although this isn't my most prolific month, this is probably one of my favorite art journals so far.

I'm getting better at including more of myself on my pages. I'm usually pretty private, but it's getting easier for me.

Get Messy is an art journal challenge where a gang of crafty vixens are sharing art journal pages we have created to practise our skills and push past our creative limits with hopes to inspire. We share our pages without restraint every week, and once a month we create around a prompt. Go check out these crazy talented ladies who are creating pages who each have a unique perspective and style. We will be sharing our work around social media so follow the hashtag #getmessyartjournal.

Today, I'm catching up with you guys and showing you some things I've been working on lately, including a short video I made and a few Project Life layouts! If you're visiting me today from the Gossamer Blue blog hop, your next stop is Melanie Blackburn. And if you get lost along the way, you can always head back to the Gossamer Blue blog for a list of of all the links. Everyone's projects are pretty amazing!

So, the Project Life layouts you see below, were made using the Gossamer Blue October kits. They go fast every month, but a few of the kits are still available. I love how perfectly coordinated they are and it didn't take long to put these together.

In this layout, I added a 3x4 gridded page protector with spaces for 2" photos. I love breaking up grids by adding small embellishments and layering pretty patterned paper underneath. You can see the backside of this grid in the first photo above.

This monochromatic layout you see above was quite unintentional! It was a happy surprise though and to maintain the look, I layered the bottom left photo with patterned vellum to keep it from being too distracting. Then, I simply cut a window in the center to reveal part of the image underneath.

Lastly I want to share a short video I made just in time for Workspace Wednesday. This is Part Two of my planner walkthrough and I'm so excited to share it.

I actually planned to post it on Monday to coincide with the release of The Essential Planner in my shop, but, of course I ran into some technical difficulties! Sigh. My apologies and enjoy...

Hello my friends! Project Life Saturday is on a Sunday this week because I wanted a little extra time to put together an impromptu giveaway for you all.

I recently had the good fortune of playing with some lovely Elle's Studio supplies for the Project Life layout you see above. In fact, I had so much fun, I wanted to pay it forward, so I put together a couple of PL mini kits and will randomly choose two winners to receive them.

I've included Enter to Win details at the end of this post, along with more photos below of my Elle's Studio supplies in action!

Giveaway Details:

Below are closueps of just some of the lovely Elle's Studio products I'll be including in the giveaway. These photos are just a sampling of what each kit will contain. I couldn't fit everything in the photos but know that each package will include:

a full stamp set

3x4 and 4x6 journal cards

die cut wood veneer embellishments

die cut cork embellishments

die cut paper embellishments

paper tags

4x6 double-sided patterned papers

To win one of these super cute packages, visit my Instagram profile, @analogpaper, and follow the steps below:

Tag a friend who would also want to win.

Repost the photo, tag me, and add the hashtag #analogpapergiveaway

Make sure you're following me.

Feel free to enter as many times as you'd like this week. I'll be choosing a winner on Sunday 10/19. Good luck!

I was working on an order and ran into technical difficulties. These tags are from the cutting room floor. I wanted to keep them in my journal as a reminder to keep adapting.

I won't be running into the same problems the next time around.

Get Messy is an art journal challenge where a gang of crafty vixens are sharing art journal pages we have created to practise our skills and push past our creative limits with hopes to inspire. We share our pages without restraint every week, and once a month we create around a prompt. Go check out these crazy talented ladies who are creating pages who each have a unique perspective and style. We will be sharing our work around social media so follow the hashtag #getmessyartjournal.

It's been a while since I've written a Workspace post and I'm really excited about this one. Today, I'm going over my task management system. At some point every year, I get overly confident and decide to start keeping track of my commitments in my head or on my phone. It works for a while, but then September rolls around and, inevitably, things start to fall through the cracks. Without fail, the end of the year is always so crazy and I end up going back to my paper planning system in order to keep up. I've adapted this system over the years and I decided to share it with you today because I'm really happy the current iteration.

Because my post was becoming quite lengthy, I've split it up into two parts. Today, I'm sharing a broad overview of how I use my planner, project notebook, daily worksheet, and phone to manage my time, keep track of projects, and remember important dates. In Part Two, I'll be giving you a closer look at everything with a video walkthrough,

Pictured above is my A5 planner made by Franklin Covey circa 2004. I've been tempted to update it, but I still find it to be pretty cute. Plus, it's in perfect condition because I don't carry it around with me. It's just too large to feel truly portable. Instead, it stays at home and I add dates to the calendar on my iPhone as necessary.

Basically, I think of my planner as the brain or central hub of my operations. It's where I store reference information and notes. And, it's also where I set goals and plan my schedule.

Inside, I have five main sections:

Goals - Any tools I use for Goal Setting + Yearly, Monthly, and Weekly pages

Projects - Any projects away from the computer. For example, those numbered tabs you see peeking out are part of the SC Workspace course.

Work - Reference information and notes for anything work or finance related.

Home - Reference information and notes for anything related to my household.

Blog - Reference information and notes for anything related to my blog, and now, my shop. Note: I will be replacing this tab with "AP" to denote all things Analog Paper.

I only have one official calendar. All of my work, personal, and Analog Paper commitments are in one place, otherwise I can't properly manage my time. It's also important to me that my Monthly Calendar is always in view, so I had to designed my own to suite my needs. I always have my Weekly page on the right and the current month's Calendar on the left to reference.

In order to quickly find my current month and week, I created the top facing tab you see above. The two other tabs are blank and change according to my current priorities. In practice, they move around from section to section depending on what I need to reference most at any given time. As a side note, I really LOVE making dividers for my planner. I just can't resist adding pretty paper to the mix.

For all the work I do on the computer, I use a disc bound notebook to organize my Project Tracking sheets. I made these to match the rest of my planning pages. They're geared toward client based work, but I use them for any project I'm working on, like a long blog post or a new product for the shop. There's a section for deliverables and another for specific tasks that extends to the back of the page.

And last, but certainly not least, is my Daily Worksheet you see below. This is the planning page that started it all. I had a hard time finding a Daily Worksheet that was detailed yet flexible enough to adapt to my system, so created this one. And then, of course, I simply had to design coordinating calendars, lists, and tracking sheets.

So here is how I use my Daily Worksheet:

Week - a box to write in the week number; really handy when I was still organizing my Project Life album by weeks.

Date - a space to circle the day of the week and write in the date.

Tasks - a list of reserved for the priority tasks that MUST get done that day.

Backburner - a space to jot down ideas for the future.

Notes - a space to jot down new reference information.

Schedule - a timeline of my day broken down into half hour increments; includes appointments, chores/errand, and project items that need to be completed.

A visual checklist of recurring tasks, or habits that I want to form. These will change as I grow and develop, so I needed it to be fluid and adaptive. The top section tracks water consumption and below are AM + PM symbols denoting recurring tasks I need to complete at the beginning and end of each day. Next to that that are a series of icons for various habits I am currently trying to cultivate.

For example, over the summer, I wanted to start posting to Instagram daily. I assigned this behavior to the speech bubble and would cross it out whenever I remembered to post something. After while, it became a habit and I no longer needed a visual cue on my Daily Worksheet to remind me to do it. Now, the speech bubble reminds me to check my blog comments and respond to questions every night..I'm still working on this one!

So that's a basic overview of my task management system. In Part Two, I'll be sharing a video walkthrough of everything (including my Time Tracker and, Project Index, and Task List). I know this system has really helped me and it's my goal that it will help others as well.

On Monday, October 13th, all of my planning pages will be available in my shop as an instant download. I'll also be sharing my video walk through, right here on the blog!

Thanks for stopping by and reading a little more about my process! I'd love hear your thought and answer any questions you may have! I'll be sure address everything in my post on Monday :)

The end of the year is always such a crazy time. Without a well defined task management system, all sorts of things are liable to fall in between the cracks. I use several different tools to help me stay on track, including a planner, a project notebook, a daily worksheet (for those super busy days), and my phone.

Yesterday was a busy day. Life in general is very full. I always try to use natural light when I take photos, but you do what you gotta do after a late night session of art journaling.

Despite the crappy photos (that I'll probably reshoot), I'm glad I squeezed in this layout. I haven't been able to blog lately and it feels good to get some new content up.

So anyway, right now, I'm making room for good things.

Get Messy is an art journal challenge where a gang of crafty vixens are sharing art journal pages we have created to practise our skills and push past our creative limits with hopes to inspire. We share our pages without restraint every week, and once a month we create around a prompt. Go check out these crazy talented ladies who are creating pages who each have a unique perspective and style. We will be sharing our work around social media so follow the hashtag #getmessyartjournal.

This is a big week guys. If you follow me on Instagram, then you've probably noticed the 10 day countdown to my online store opening tomorrow (eep!). Below is a little Q & A on my creative process and, at the end, I share some sneak peeks before my shop officially launches!

Of course, this varies from project to project. Regardless, it's so important for me to set deadlines for myself because I'm constantly tweaking little details in the quest for perfection. For example, I started my 10 day countdown on Instagram so that I wouldn't back out of my September store opening goal!

3. What are my favorite things to create with at the moment?

Photoshop is my staple, always. I also love my digital die cutter and, well, sequins are pretty high up on my list of essentials.

4. How does my writing/creating process work?

Some of my best ideas come to me when I'm not actively brainstorming, like when I'm taking a shower or washing dishes. Since I never know when inspiration is going to strike, it's important that I capture my ideas right away. I like to make little sketches or use the Notes app on my iPhone. In fact, my favorite place to write blog posts is while I'm in bed using my phone.

5. How do I become inspired and stay inspired?

I am constantly inspired by the all of the talented makers and creators that generously share their work and offer their support to other artists.

6. What’s my signature style?

Handcrafted paper and pixels. I love playing with white space and scale. I love typography and really graphic elements. I love gold and pink and sequins and other playful, feminine touches. I love trying to convey big ideas with just a few words or images.

Thanks for taking the time to get to know me a little better today. Tomorrow, when the shop launches, check back here for more information on special coupons and promotions. I'm beyond excited and have been sharing sneak peeks on Instagram all weekend. Take a closer look below at my some of my favorite offerings, including this amazing die cut design:

I love using it in my Project Life album, my planner, in happy mail, presents, and cards… And for a limited time, the cut file will be available as a free download to celebrate my grand opening :)

This week is all about trying new things and mustering up enough courage to do what I love. And I think it's a really great way to finish off my September journal.

Below are all my pages for this month...

Get Messy is an art journal challenge where a gang of crafty vixens are sharing art journal pages we have created to practise our skills and push past our creative limits with hopes to inspire. We share our pages without restraint every week, and once a month we create around a prompt. Go check out these crazy talented ladies who are creating pages who each have a unique perspective and style. We will be sharing our work around social media so follow the hashtag #getmessyartjournal.